Sideroxylon
Sideroxylon is a genus of trees in the family Sapotaceae described as a genus by Linnaeus in 1753. They are collectively known as bully trees. The generic name is derived from the Greek words σιδηρος, meaning "iron", and ξύλον, meaning "wood."
Distribution
The genus is distributed mainly in North and South America as well as in Africa, Madagascar, southern Asia, and various oceanic islands. Some species, such as gum bully, S. tenax, and buckthorn bully, are found in subtropical areas of North America. The only South African species, the white milkwood, is associated with three historical sites, and these individuals were declared national monuments due to their unusual longevity.
Ecology
Several species have become rare due to logging and other forms of habitat destruction. The tambalacoque of Mauritius was affected by the extinction of the birds which dispersed its seed; it was suggested that the species entirely depended on the dodo for that purpose and nearly became a victim of coextinction, but this is not correct. Bully trees provide food for the larvae of certain Lepidoptera, such as the bumelia webworm moth as well as several species of Coleoptera of the genus Plinthocoelium, commonly known as bumelia borers.
Species
83 species are currently accepted.Sideroxylon acunae - CubaSideroxylon alachuense - United States Sideroxylon altamiranoi - Mexico Sideroxylon americanum - Mexico, West IndiesSideroxylon anomalum - Hispaniola Sideroxylon beguei - MadagascarSideroxylon bequaertii - Democratic Republic of the CongoSideroxylon betsimisarakum - MadagascarSideroxylon borbonicum - RéunionSideroxylon boutonianum - MauritiusSideroxylon brucebenzii – Mexico Sideroxylon bullatum - JamaicaSideroxylon canariense - Canary IslandsSideroxylon cantoniense - Southeast ChinaSideroxylon capiri - Mesoamerica, West IndiesSideroxylon capuronii - MadagascarSideroxylon cartilagineum - Mexico Sideroxylon celastrinum - United States, Mesoamerica, Colombia, Venezuela, Cuba, BahamasSideroxylon cinereum - MauritiusSideroxylon cochranei – Mexico Sideroxylon contrerasii - MesoamericaSideroxylon cubense - West IndiesSideroxylon dominicanum - Hispaniola Sideroxylon durifolium - Mexico, BelizeSideroxylon ekmanianum - CubaSideroxylon eriocarpum - Mexico Sideroxylon eucoriaceum - Mexico, GuatemalaSideroxylon eucuneifolium - GuatemalaSideroxylon excavatum - Mexico Sideroxylon fimbriatum - Yemen Sideroxylon floribundum - Belize, Guatemala, JamaicaSideroxylon foetidissimum - West Indies, Southern Mexico, Guatemala, Belize, United States Sideroxylon galeatum - Mauritius Sideroxylon gerrardianum - MadagascarSideroxylon grandiflorum - MauritiusSideroxylon hirtiantherum - Guatemala, HondurasSideroxylon horridum - Cuba, Cayman IslandsSideroxylon ibarrae - Guatemala Sideroxylon inerme - Africa, Seychelles, French Southern and Antarctic Lands Sideroxylon jubilla - CubaSideroxylon lanuginosum - - United States, northeastern MexicoSideroxylon leucophyllum - Mexico Sideroxylon lycioides - buckthorn bully - Southeastern United States Sideroxylon macrocarpum - United States Sideroxylon majus - RéunionSideroxylon marginatum - Cape VerdeSideroxylon mascatense - Ethiopia to PakistanSideroxylon mirmulano - MadeiraSideroxylon moaense - CubaSideroxylon montanum - JamaicaSideroxylon nadeaudii - TahitiSideroxylon nervosum - MyanmarSideroxylon obovatum - West Indies, VenezuelaSideroxylon obtusifolium - Mexico to ParaguaySideroxylon occidentale - Mexico Sideroxylon octosepalum - Jamaica Sideroxylon palmeri - MexicoSideroxylon peninsulare - Mexico Sideroxylon persimile - Mesoamerica, Colombia, Venezuela, Trinidad and Tobago Sideroxylon picardae - Hispaniola Sideroxylon polynesicum - United States, French Polynesia Sideroxylon portoricense - Mesoamerica, Greater AntillesSideroxylon puberulum - MauritiusSideroxylon reclinatum - United States Sideroxylon repens - Hispaniola Sideroxylon retinerve - HondurasSideroxylon rotundifolium - JamaicaSideroxylon rubiginosum - Hispaniola Sideroxylon salicifolium - West Indies, Mesoamerica, FloridaSideroxylon saxorum - MadagascarSideroxylon sessiliflorum - MauritiusSideroxylon socorrense - Mexico Sideroxylon spinosum - Morocco, Algeria, Mauritania, and Western SaharaSideroxylon st-johnianum - Pitcairn Islands Sideroxylon stenospermum - MesoamericaSideroxylon stevensonii - Mexico, Belize, GuatemalaSideroxylon tambolokoko - MadagascarSideroxylon tenax - United States Sideroxylon tepicense - MesoamericaSideroxylon thornei - United States Sideroxylon verruculosum - MexicoSideroxylon wightianum - China, Vietnam
Formerly placed here
Micropholis acutangula Micropholis crassipedicellata Micropholis guyanensis Micropholis rugosa Olinia ventosa Planchonella australis Planchonella costata Planchonella eerwah Planchonella macrantha Pouteria elegans Pouteria reticulata Pouteria sapota